If this is your first visit, be sure to
check out the FAQ by clicking the
link above. You may have to register
before you can post: click the register link above to proceed. To start viewing messages,
select the forum that you want to visit from the selection below.

I personally never minded the length of any Pokémon season. Could they have made them shorter? Yeah. I mean all the Pokémon seasons do take a long time to watch but if you watch several episodes a day, you could get through a season quickly.

The anime is pretty popular as much as the manga, so I don't think that the show being as long as it is would have been no harm for finacial purposes.

Okay here's the twist, at the end of BW, Iris opens her hairstyle and reveals a black hole, which sucks up everybody on the planet. Now that Iris is the last human left on earth, she's the only one who can be the champion. Also the anime continues with "The Iris Show". Hey, she might have triggered the apocalypse but at least there's a new twist.

You misspelled "too".

Last edited by BurningSociety12345543210; 30th December 2012 at 1:28 AM.

You're just now realizing that this anime is so long after all this time? Ofsource it is but if they keep making games, just like yugioh and beyblade, they will keep making the anime.

Yugioh did it 'better' in my opinion. Even as new cards continue to come out, the original series came to and end, and then GX aired, and then 5Ds, and now Zexal. They didn't just stick with Yugi, Kaiba, and co for as long as the game remains in existence. Pokemon has the versatility to finish Ash's storyline, and introduce new characters and adventures easily.

I would like the Pokemon anime even more if they stopped with Ash, helping retarded trainers and people that can't take care of Pokemon for a minute or two until Team Rocket steals them.

I would like it if they just focused on Ash becoming a Pokemon master instead of helping people 99.9% of the time! Some of these can be cool but most of them are pretty bad. : L
Hope its different in the next generation. I just hope they aren't planning to mechanize (Geno sect) nearly all of the Pokemon like they did with Digimon, and Not give another crap team to Ash in the next region.....

After seeing that animated trailer for the Black and White 2 game, in my opinion, yes. The anime has gone on long enough. Ash's storyline is getting so repetitive and predicatable now that I just can't stand to watch it.

They should have just ended Ash's adventures and started over with a new fresh plot but no, that's part of the reason why I just read the Manga now.

Originally Posted by pokemonsquared

Kanto and Johto never had good writing, it just happened to be shown in a better time. Plus even if misty returned the popularity still would barely improve after the initial shock faded.

It has its high points. I think it's good as a kids' show. I think now that we're all adults now, we wish that Pokémon would have more of a darker edge to it (somewhat like Digimon) but yeah, the biggest problem I think is that Ash isn't really going anywhere. Every generation it's the same thing. Start with only Pikachu and then lose the League at the end. I mean it's hard to watch series after series knowing Ash will probably lose the League.

IMO, this anime has gone on way, way too long. It's absolutely ridiculous. It's not a bad show, but it has gotten incredibly boring, redundant, and stale. They need to try more new things, and not with older characters.

To be honest, I'd much rather they do something fresh with all the old favorite characters. Sure they could do a true reboot of the whole anime, but that would only partially restore fan confidence in the writing/production team. For many, the next anime might still leave that lingering notion that sooner or later, every character and plot will ultimately be milked to death. The anime is too long simply because its accumulated too many perceived flaws and caused too much division in its fanbase. Regardless of a few breaths of fresh air in each saga, too much of Pokemon is what was either expected or pulled randomly. Therefore its going to take some very unexpected, but reasonable efforts to restore it.

Last edited by Bluelatios*; 30th December 2012 at 11:28 PM.

I support Save Our Voice Actors, a Pokemon fan group in favor of returning the voice actors in the anime dubbed by 4Kids (seasons 1-8). facebook.com/saveourvoiceactors

To be honest, I'd much rather they do something fresh with all the old favorite characters. Sure they could do a true reboot of the whole anime, but that would only partially restore fan confidence in the writing/production team. For many, the next anime might still leave that lingering notion that sooner or later, every character and plot will be milked to death. The anime is too long simply because its accumulated too many perceived flaws and caused too much division in its fanbase. Regardless of a few breaths of fresh air in each saga, too much of Pokemon is what was either expected or pulled randomly. Therefore its going to take some very unexpected, but reasonable efforts to restore it.

I see your point as well, and it's very valid. Either way, the Pokemon needs either 1) a complete reboot or 2) something with all the older characters to restore itself. It is indeed going to take some very unexpected, but reasonable efforts to restore it.

I definitely see what you're saying and it does make sense, though: I mean, just look at what happened to Brock's character in the Sinnoh Saga. As well as what has happened to Team Rocket Trio in the Unova Saga. Assuming said reboot occurs, it would also raise the question of whether characters are just going to be maintained to the point at which they are milked dry, or actually given a nice departure.

This is really a vital component as to why I prefer the Original Series and Advanced Generation Arcs of the anime to their successors: all the characters in the main cast were given episodes to showcase their own individual talents and characters, and no character is left in the dark and milked dry (you CAN argue Tracey was BUT I will say he is the only main cast member to actually ever achieve his goals). For Sinnoh, Dawn and Ash were treated VERY well, but poor Brock was...mutilated. I mean I love Brock and he deserves so much more than what the Sinnoh Writers had given him. For Unova, Ash has been treated very well and seems almost like the sole focus of this saga, although Iris has been treated better than Cilan, who still manages to be interesting and have some quirks. But Team Rocket has been turned into a bunch of mindless drones, losing all of the traits that make them such interesting characters, and have even managed to get a worse team of Pokemon than Brock did in DP and Cilan has in BW at the moment. It's just horrible the way they are neglecting them this saga. I'm really hoping BW2: N rectifies this.

To be honest, I'd much rather they do something fresh with all the old favorite characters. Sure they could do a true reboot of the whole anime, but that would only partially restore fan confidence in the writing/production team. For many, the next anime might still leave that lingering notion that sooner or later, every character and plot will ultimately be milked to death. The anime is too long simply because its accumulated too many perceived flaws and caused too much division in its fanbase. Regardless of a few breaths of fresh air in each saga, too much of Pokemon is what was either expected or pulled randomly. Therefore its going to take some very unexpected, but reasonable efforts to restore it.

I don't know how much more they could do with Team Rocket. I think they are on their last legs but they could absolutely do more with Ash.

I don't know how much more they could do with Team Rocket. I think they are on their last legs but they could absolutely do more with Ash.

Personally, I would say Ash still has more to offer. As for TRio, I sadly think they should leave.

I just don't like the fact they are not being given more to showcase this serious side of themselves. I will say the current TRio is cool, and the trenchcoats and receiving orders directly from Giovanni is awesome, but I don't even see the same characters anymore. What I mean by showcasing the serious side is giving them more screentime to show what exactly they are doing behind the scenes, and giving them far more Pokemon than what they have been given. I think they are too neglected, and we only really see them these days rarely, and only when they are directly confronting Ash and company. They seem cool, but there's no screentime to show us what exactly they are doing with Dr. Zager and the others.

Originally Posted by pokemonsquared

What more could have been done with Brock in DP that wouldn't have fans screaming out REHASH REHASH! HE ALREADY DID THIS IN ____!!! coughcybercough

What I mean is, they didn't have to give Brock such little screentime, as well as the poorest assortment of Pokemon on his respective team for the arc, as opposed to Ash and Dawn. It feels like in DP, Brock was far too neglected and the ratio of eps where we actually got to see him more active was VERY low as opposed to Ash and Dawn. The most contributions I honestly saw from him that saga were praising Ash for further developing his strategies, and the Pokemon School saga. He was given too much of a backseat as opposed to the other characters itself, so to speak.

Personally, I would say Ash still has more to offer. As for TRio, I sadly think they should leave.

I just don't like the fact they are not being given more to showcase this serious side of themselves. I will say the current TRio is cool, and the trenchcoats and receiving orders directly from Giovanni is awesome, but I don't even see the same characters anymore. What I mean by showcasing the serious side is giving them more screentime to show what exactly they are doing behind the scenes, and giving them far more Pokemon than what they have been given.

Ash definitely has a lot more to offer. It's too bad the writers aren't using him to his full potential as a character. It's always the same thing. He starts a region with just Pikachu, gets 8 badges, and then loses the League and the pattern repeats over and over again.

And I have always wanted to see what TRio, Giovanni, Zager, etc. do when they are not on a mission. Unfortunately since the show focuses mostly on Ash and his friends, we don't get to see that much.

I don't think the show is too long I just wish they'd been able to keep it good. After the ninth season the show went so downhill I could cry over it. The only thing that really started to hint that it would go downhill after the ninth season was Ash's change of voice-actor.

Ash definitely has a lot more to offer. It's too bad the writers aren't using him to his full potential as a character. It's always the same thing. He starts a region with just Pikachu, gets 8 badges, and then loses the League and the pattern repeats over and over again.

And I have always wanted to see what TRio, Giovanni, Zager, etc. do when they are not on a mission. Unfortunately since the show focuses mostly on Ash and his friends, we don't get to see that much.

Exactly, and exactly. They don't utilize the full potential of these characters at all, and it's a shame. I know they have far more to offer than what's being shown. That's why I feel exploring new things without the older characters may be beneficial at this point if they are going to keep things this way for the older characters in question.

On TRio, I understand what you're saying. I wish they would show what TRio, Giovanni, Zager, and company are doing though. It would help to show what kinds of things are being done so we can keep track of these guys.

Instead of replacing Ash and doing complete reboot risking deliver of worse product and drop of viewers interest reflecting negatively on business, it would be better to invest long term more in Ash and previous companions which are popular and successful instead of scrapping everything altogether starting from zero all over again.
We have so many great companions which have potential to offer more. There are so many new ideas and unexplored directions which could bring new life to Misty, May, Max etc reinventing and adding a whole new interesting note to them.

I know i would be interested in some of them coming back for extended period of time serving as nice change of pace having already background behind them to gain more meaningful growth. Something we can't really expect from new characters who just began journey.

And its sad that because of writers laziness we don't see them putting more effort in someone who proven to be popular coming up with innovative ideas to keep characters interesting and fresh, making us learn new things,. Rather choosing easier way discarding them like trash adding endlessly new characters which end up discarded after few years too.

After all root of problem doesn't lie in current cast or Ash but in writers hesitance to apply different approach toward this show. And only way to change this doesnpt lie in replacement but in actually changing formula by adding new innovations, taking story and characters forward in undiscovered directions which allows to keep show fresh and have better developed cast.

By putting more effort in companions which showed to have requirements to bring necessary appeal and charisma to hook viewers on building on show continuity, more glued/cohesive storyline and better storytelling predispositions are set to create formula which could become appealing toward wider group of people.

Since you have stable established cast soiling ground to create brand in some show and keep viewers loyal toward anime, because it keeps them interested to see how will characters they grew to like end up and with what new things writers can come up.
Long term speaking more viewers means more customers which watch show and buy merchandize products, which leads to increase of ratings and more money.

Yugioh did it 'better' in my opinion. Even as new cards continue to come out, the original series came to and end, and then GX aired, and then 5Ds, and now Zexal. They didn't just stick with Yugi, Kaiba, and co for as long as the game remains in existence. Pokemon has the versatility to finish Ash's storyline, and introduce new characters and adventures easily.

As for card games yes. But as for games I like Pokemon better for that reason alone.

I agree that the anime has been going on for too long, as by Ash's adventure. Like everybody said before, it's just a cycle of Ash going to a new region meeting new characters , getting 8 badges and losing the tournament.
What the writers should do is introduce a new main character in every region and then make them win the respective tournament and repeat. That would be much more interesting because we get get learn much more anout Pokemon because they're stronger, better trainers(no offense to Ash fangirls)!

I have no problem with the actual length, the problem is that it's too drawn out and repetitive. There is no real sense of progress after 700+ episodes, and it's basically the same thing over and over again. There are changes, to be sure, but the changes are mostly things that don't matter (for example, characters, outfits, etc.), and the things that DO matter (basic plot, formula, etc.) stay the same. Not good.

Exactly what I meant, thanks. It would be great if they had more originality (while also taking the best aspects of the games) and not just copy and paste from the games (and genericizing certain things, too).

It's not that the anime is too long, plenty of shows last this long and longer. The thing that makes Pokemon feel so wasteful and long is because of the unneccesery episodes which drag it out.

If each series (the Indigo League almost fit this criteria) had episodes only focusing on the development and important events happened each episode, whether it be showcasing a location from the games, a Pokemon learning a new move/evolving, fighting a Gym, meeting a rival, fighting a rival etc. The series would be much shorter and much more.... better?

I'd prefer it like this. Personally I don't see why the show has to be dragged out and create useless fillers and arcs just to wait for the next games. I don't see why the anime can't just air a series running from 50 - 80 episodes. Holding back for a few months and start a new series when the next games are out.